INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS

Training Programme

One Day Training

Health and Human Rights

Developed by: Rosalinda Terhorst

The International Federation of Health and Human Rights Organisations (IFHHRO)

IFHHRO forms a unique network of active organisations committed to the protection and
promotion of health related human rights. Members and observers are human rights groups
which address health-related rights violations, medical associations involved in human rights
work, and organisations that have been created specifically to mobilize health workers for
human rights protection.

For more information visit our website: www.ifhhro.org

Copyright © IFHHRO, 2011

This session plan may be reproduced provided the source is specified.

IFHHRO welcomes applications for rights of translation.
Copies of the session plan in a different format can be requested.
More information: ifhhro@ifhhro.org

Cover: illustration of all elements in the programme – Rosalinda Terhorst

 One Day Training - Health and Human Rights

Learning Objectives
• To gain basic knowledge on human rights
• To gain perspective on practical ways in which the human rights approach can be used to
address health issues
• To become familiar with the scope and content of health as a human right
• To understand the roles health workers (can) play in relation to health related human
rights

Target Group
Health workers with an interest in human rights and limited to no knowledge about health
related human rights

Duration
1 day

Training Programme

For a one day training on health and human rights the following programme is suggested:

1 hour to 90 minutes Welcome & Introduction

Puzzling with Human Rights
Introduction participants
Introduction programme
15-30 minutes Coffee/tea
60-90 minutes Session 1
Stepping into Human Rights
An introductory board game
1 hour Lunch
90 minutes Session 2
Human Rights Tools
Health as a Human Right – The Basics
Introduction to the right to health through questions and answers
15-30 minutes Coffee/Tea
90 minutes Session 3
Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve
The role of health workers in human rights issues

All sessions are available online as download in the IFHHRO Training Manual – Human
Rights for Health Workers: www.ifhhro-training-manual.org.

Welcome and Introduction

The day starts with a brief introduction of the participants through an activity. Pictures of
human rights issues which have been cut into half are distributed among the participants.
Each participant has to look for the other half. This activity provides the facilitator a quick

Human Rights for Health Workers - An IFHHRO Training Manual 3

One Day Training - Health and Human Rights

scan of the level of human rights awareness and expertise among participants and might
already raise issues for discussion during later sessions. Introduce the programme after all
participants have been introduced.

Stepping into Human Rights

By playing a board game basic questions and answers about human rights are raised. While
playing the game participants are encouraged to think of answers to these questions and to
remember them, to get ahead in the game. The information provided in the game is an
introduction to essential terms that receive further attention in the following session.

Health as a Human Right

To create a new perspective among participants on the different uses of the human rights
framework this session starts with a brainstorm activity. Actual tools, for example, a ladder,
whistle, rope or an umbrella are used as a symbol for the practical application of human
rights to health issues. Participants have to come up with examples of how these “human
rights” tools can help them in solving a health issue from their daily work.

This exercise is followed by an overview showing elements and examples of health as a

human right. This overview is assembled together with the participants by spreading cards
among them and asking targeted questions about different aspects of health as a human
right which need to be answered with the cards. The information from the game board is
repeated and explained in more detail.
At the end of the session participants are requested to see how their tool from the beginning
of the session fits into the overview.

The Role of Health Workers in Human Rights Issues

This session focuses on the role health workers can play in relation to health related human
rights. The session begins with a personal story from a health worker as an illustration of a
patient care situation with human rights implications. All the actors that play a role in this
story are placed into an overview. Afterwards the participants pose each other a series of
questions in pairs to become aware of their own standpoint towards the possible roles of
health workers. The session concludes with a diagram to illustrate the different spheres in
which health workers can play a role.

Conclude the day with a summary

4 Human Rights for Health Workers - An IFHHRO Training Manual